SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will undertake a two-day working visit to Singapore for the 10th Malaysia-Singapore Leaders' Retreat, beginning today.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said that this visit would mark the first meeting between Anwar and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong within the framework of the Leaders' Retreat.
The Leaders' Retreat is the highest-level bilateral mechanism between the two countries, held alternately since 2007.
"The organisation of this Leaders' Retreat had been postponed since 2019 due to the Covid-19 pandemic," he told the Malaysian media here today.
He said the Malaysian delegation consisted eight ministers, including the Foreign Minister; Minister of Natural Resources, Environment, and Climate Change; Minister of Investment, Trade, and Industry; Minister of Home Affairs; Minister of Transport; Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperative; Johor Menteri Besar; and Premier of Sarawak.
Also present are the Attorney General and senior officials from relevant ministries and agencies.
In the 10th Leaders' Retreat, the Prime Minister is scheduled to pay a courtesy call on Singaporean President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, the newly-elected President of Singapore.
He will also hold a bilateral meeting with his counterpart Lee followed by the Malaysia-Singapore Delegation Meeting.
"The Leaders' Retreat serves as an important bilateral discussion platform for both countries to assess the progress of existing cooperation, explore new mutually beneficial initiatives, find solutions to outstanding issues, and set the direction for bilateral relations between Malaysia and Singapore," explained Zambry.
Some of the key issues to be discussed during this Leaders' Retreat include measures to enhance connectivity, efforts to strengthen economic cooperation between the two countries, and exploring opportunities for collaboration in renewable energy.
"Both leaders are expected to refine progressive and win-win approaches in resolving outstanding bilateral issues," he said.
Both Prime Ministers will witness the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in the field of entrepreneurship and a side letter to enhance provisions in the Agreement for the Third Malaysia-Singapore Business Development Fund.
A joint statement by the two Leaders will be issued after the conclusion of the Leaders' Retreat.
Singapore is Malaysia's second-largest trading partner.
In 2022, the trade volume between Malaysia and Singapore increased by 37.6 per cent to RM368.19 billion compared to the trade value in 2021.
Malaysia is expected to host the 11th Malaysia-Singapore Leaders' Retreat in 2024. – BERNAMA